To our Galway brethren @Lazarus@flattythehurdler@KinvarasPassion Genuine commiserations. Iām on record as saying that South Galway lads are the soundest men on the planet, Iāve many friends there. Salt of the fucking earth people, you couldnāt meet madder, tougher or nicer people. Yeāre boys were outstanding today, bullshit aside we probably share more in common as hurling people than most. Iāve the absolute utmost respect for ye.
Ah fuck it Iām lagers here but just wanted to say that, and I mean it. I fucking love Galway people.
I have to say, going to matches as a neutral is very enjoyable. Enjoy a few pints in the Croke Park hotel and tip away in and watch a great contest. None of the nerves and the frustrations you feel following your own. We were sat behind Shefflin, the passion and the drive was rising off him. Some may say that mania can spread to the team but it was pumping up the players in my opinion. I thought himself and Kinnerk were going to come to blows at one point. What is the point of the yellow to management teams?
Galway know what they have now. Eanna Murphy has improved a show this year. Joe Cooney is an excellent player. They surely had someone better than Jason Flynn to come on.
One of the most amazing things about Limerick is it was 13 of the 15 from 2018 starting today and Peter Casey could have been starting in 2018 if it wasnāt for injury. David Reidy has been on the go since 2013. Itās a tiny group who have played the staring roles but immense credit must go the coaches and the panel for keeping things ticking in training. Very unusual.
When we were shit and I was living in Dublin myself and a few more used to go to the hurling final every year.
It was always a great day out. Get to enjoy the atmosphere without having any skin in the game.
I didnāt enjoy a fucking minute of that today, all I felt at the final whistle was relief
Limerick remind me of the Dublin team, in that their conditioning and power is unreal, as is their selflessness and teamwork. They are prepared ultimately well, with Gavin and Kinnerk drawing up gameplans. Limerick are direct at least and good to watch. Dublin were so efficient they were just boring at the end. Iām not sure kiely isnāt just a patsy for a camera shy Kinnerk but he did hit on one good point in his post match, that the players had bought in and werenāt causing hassle islf they werenāt starting. Whoās responsible for that mindset change I wonder.
Kilkenny will relish clogging the middle better than we were able to but Kilkenny are young and raw, everything went right in the first half yesterday but thereās just no way theyāll get that easy ride again and why they wonāt panic they might not be up to the pace either as they wonāt have faced it really.
Limerick on the other hand might talk about settling scores but a few times this year there are minor cracks emerging. These unbeatable teams often die fast. They wonāt yet but arenāt immortal. Their calmness on the ball is outstanding, but Iād say Caroline Currid will earn overtime this month reassuring them. While they are a great team, they are a small way off being considered the greatest ever yet anyway and thatās not a dig.
Calm down and try typing slowly.
Your carry on āthanks for the practice gameā was the kind of petty triumphalism youād see on the average EPL terrace or in some shithole pub called the lord nelson down an alley in East London. Anyhow.
A small thing maybe. I sat right in line with Limerick warm up yday and at the final last year. Iād never seen anything as slick before last yearās final. The first touch, the focus, the effeciency. Barely a ball miscontrolled.
Yesterday they looked like a normal team doing the warm up. Same drills but touch looked well off where they were in Sept. Didnāt look half as tuned in
